Railroad car truck equalizer control means



March 1953 K. F. NYSTROM ETAL RAILROAD CAR TRUCK EQUALIZER CONTROL MEANS 2 SHEETS-SI-1EET 1 Filed NOV. 18, 1948 March 24, 1953 K. F. NYSTROM EI'AL RAILROAD CAR TRUCK EQUALIZER CONTROI J MEANS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed NOV. 18, 1948 fi Jar/F Jen 2 015:

ya 2 1- 722, 762-2202 -zee2z QM Patented Mar. 24, 1953 RAILROAD CAR TRUCK EQUALIZER CONTROL MEANS Karl F. Nystrom, Nashotah, and Vernon L. Green and Joseph J. Drinka, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application November 18, 1948, Serial No. 60,802

1 Claim. 1

- Our invention relates to mechanism whereby the relative lateral forces between the equalizers of a, railroad car truck and the truck frame may be controlled and metal-to-metal contact between the equalizers and truck side frame members prevented; mechanism which at the same time permits the desired amount of relative vertical movement between the equalizers and the truck frame without materially affecting the vertical action of the equalizer springs.

The objects and advantages of our invention will be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a railroad car truck with our invention applied thereto; certain truck elements being omitted for clarity.

FiguregZ illustrates, on a larger scale and in perspective, a portion of the truck side frame and of an equalizer with our improved means applied in the manner shown in Figure 1.

. Figure 3 is a perspective View similar to that shown in Figure 1, illustrating a modified application.

Figure 4 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of our improved control means with a portion broken away and in section to disclose construction.

In the particular exemplifications, our invention is shown applied to a pedestalless type of truck frame wherein the equalizers H) are provided with downwardly disposed yokes to receive the roller bearing housings H. The truck side frames 52 at opposite sides of the truck are tied to each other by the usual transom members (3, [3, whose ends, in this instance, are integral with and extend beneath the side frames, as shown at It, 14, to provide means for supporting the spring or springs l5 whose upper ends seat in the inverted cup portions it which constitute the ends of the truck bolster l'l.

Our improved stabilizing or control means comprises a suitable number of rubber sandwiches 18 which are operatively associated with the truck side frame members and the associated equalizers.

Each sandwich I 8 is composed of a suitable number of steel or rigid plates E9 of preselected size and thickness and preferably circular as shown, spaced apart by resilient elements or rubber pads 23, of predetermined characteristics, size and thickness. The plates is and the rubber pads 23] are bonded or intimately secured together into single units or sandwiches whose outer end faces consist of the preferably rectangular end plates 2|, 2|, whose marginal por-r tions or corners extend beyond the perimeter of the body of the sandwich and are provided with bolt receiving apertures at 22, as more clearly disclosed in Figure 4.

The equalizers ii], in the exemplification shown" in Figures 1 and 2, intermediate the upwardly disposed inner legs of the journal b'earing're-' ceiving yokes and theadjacent outwardly extending side frame and transom extensions M, are.

provided with suitable brackets or plates 23,

secured to the equalizers.

in the drawings.

Intimately secured to the outer side of the truck side frame l2, coincident with each sandwich l8 secured to the equalizer, is a hood-like bracket 24 comprising the downwardly and out wardly sloping portion 25 which terminates in the vertical side portion 26. The upper end of the sloping portion 25 preferably is welded to the. side frame, while the vertical portion 26 is provided with apertures adapted to register with the openings 22, in the outer end plate 2| of the sandwich, to receive bolts 21, see Figures 2 and 4.

The end plates 2| of the sandwich and the bracket members are firmly secured or bolted together so that no sliding movement between the sandwich, the equalizer and/or truck frame may occur. The sandwiches are disposed horizontally parallel with the direction of the lateral forces between the equalizer and the truck frame. The sandwiches preferably are installed under a predetermined amount of compression-although they might be operatively effective without being under compression.

The vertical side of bracket 24 is shown provided with a ledge or flange 28, disposed transversely of the median line of the sandwich (see Figure 2) to provide means for attaching a jack or tool whereby the sandwich may be placed under and held under compression while the sandwich is being installed.

In Figure 3 we show a modification of application, namely with the control means or sandwiches applied adjacent the ends of the truck frame and the equalizers. That is to say, the sandwiches are secured farther removed from the transverse median line of the truck and offer greater resistance to any relative twisting movements between the equalizers and the truck frame.

The stabilizing means of Figure 3 is of the same construction as heretofore described and shown in Figures 2 and 4; and as previously stated preferably are placed under a predetermined and substantially equal amount of compression.

As is apparent from the construction shown, the lateral forces between the equalizers and the truck frame will be absorbed or taken and resisted by compression of the sandwich, while the relative verticalmovement between the equalizers and the truck frame will be taken care of by placing the rubber of the sandwiches in shear.

The principal idea of the invention is to en-- deavor to control the relative lateral movement without appreciably afiecting the vertical action of the equalizer springs. 7

The lateral movement control tie means may be arranged either adjacent the ends" of the" truck as shown in Figure 3, or at points intermediate: the vertical planes of the truck journal boxes and of the truck frame transom members, as shownin Figure l, or at any convenient point substantially'paral'lelwith: the transverse or lateral. forces thatmay be. set. up: between the truck. frame and the equalizers; and. in order to: permit inspectionofi the rubber" sandwiches the: sloping upper por-- tion 25 of the truck frame brackets are shown provided with enlarged openingsas at 35, see Figure2 -thi's opening, when the tie means are located asein Figure'l, also" permitting inspection of the usual equalizer springs which support the truck frame;

We have shown" and: described what we believe to? Bethe-simplest and mosteflicient forms of our invention; but structural modifications and arrangements, as well as application to a difierent styleof truck ,,ar'er possible without, however, de parting from the spirit of our inventionasdefined in the: appended claim;

Whatwe: claim is:

V In a railway car truckprovided with a pedestalless. type: truck frame with equalizers extending lengthwise of the truck and the load carrying framezwhiclnis spring supported on the equalizers and arranged: parallel with the equalizers; verti- 4 cally disposed fiat bracket plates secured to the outer vertical faces of the equalizers; hood-like brackets pendently secured to the outer faces of the side frames and terminating in vertical lower portions arranged outward of and in parallel spaced relation withv the bracket plates on the equalizers, said brackets and bracket plates being immovablysecured in place'adj'acent-the supporting wheels of the truck; and rubber sandwiches arranged vertically between and removably secured to said brackets and bracket plates and disposed outwardly of the side frames and equalizers arranged under initial compression and each consisting of a plurality of vertically disposed large; thick rubber'pads and alternate flat and rigid metal plates, and outer metal plates extendingzbeyoridthep'e'rimeter of the body of the sandwichand provided with bolt-receiving apertures to receivebolts for removably securing the sandwich to said bracket plates and said brackets, all bonded or intimately secured together and arranged transverselyoi the direction of the lateral" forees between the side frame and equalizers" tor cushioningly absorb the forces of compression and 'thereby control'the transverse movements'be tween the equalizers and side frame, whilepermitting'a predetermined degree of vertical'mov'e ment therebetween.

KARL F; NYSTEUM' VERNON'L. GREEN.-

JOSEPH J.- DRINKA;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 694,3 i6 Best Mar. 4, 1902' 2138,449 Hallquist Nov. 29, 1938 2,323,348 Nystrom etal is- July 6, 1943' 2,347,362 Nystro'mi et al. in.. Apr. 25,1944 

